


Shadow

by Iship_lover



Series: Haunted(Ghost!Joker series) [2]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman: The Killing Joke (Comics)
Genre: Ace Chemicals, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-28
Updated: 2019-11-28
Packaged: 2021-02-18 06:47:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21590242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iship_lover/pseuds/Iship_lover
Summary: Bruce traces the shadows back to ACE Chemicals.Series summary: Jack Napier died when he feel in the acid barrels at ACE. But something, some part of him, remains, and attaches itself to the Batman.Bruce doesn't mind.
Relationships: Batman/Joker, Bruce Wayne/Jack Napier, Joker (DCU) & Bruce Wayne, Joker (DCU)/Bruce Wayne
Series: Haunted(Ghost!Joker series) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1555429
Comments: 10
Kudos: 57





	Shadow

Even with the suits’ newly installed heating abilities, Bruce shivers as he approaches ACE, and it only gets colder as he climbs up the metal stairs, to the overhead bridge, and the dented, broken railing where he-

_ “NO!” Bruce yelled as the man stumbled backwards, the metal snapping behind his back, red cape flaring out as the Red Hood fell into an endless sea of green.  _

Shaking his head of the memory, Bruce rubs at his arms, and breathes out. It’s almost June, and even Gotham with it’s overcast skies and smog-drenched buildings feels the stifling heat. But Bruce remains cold, and he can’t help but feel that it has something to do with what happened at ACE, all those months ago- and what happened after.

_ The lights flickered, once, twice, dies, and snapped back. Bruce paused halfway through his shaving. The air around him goes cold, and he tenses, all his instincts screaming that there was someone behind him. _

_ “Alfred?” It wasn’t Alfred- Bruce knows that if it was, he would have known from Alfred’s footsteps and presence. This was someone else. Something else.  _

_ He turns, eyes narrowed. There was nothing behind him, except the large, ornate bathtub, and the cold, gold-rimmed tiles. Slowly, Bruce moves to face the mirror once more.  _

_ He drops the razor, and sees his own eyes go wide. He’s not alone. A man, with brown hair and big, green eyes- _

_ Bruce clenches his fists, snapping back in a fighting stance. Behind him, nothing but air.  _

“What’s your name?” He asks, and for a moment, Bruce feels utterly ridiculous. Talking to thin air. Something shimmers in the corner of his eye, next to the broken metal.

_ “Jack.” _

“I-” Bruce wants to run his fingers through his hair to relieve the tension that’s been building up in him ever since the night at ACE, when Red Hood’s gloved fingers slipped through his own and he fell into the acid. The barrels are still down there, gurgling, bubbling away, green like the Red Hood- green like  _ Jack’s _ eyes.

“I’m sorry- I  _ wish _ -” Bruce clenches his fists again, and even against the Kevlar he could feel each point of his fingers against his palms. “I  _ should have _ caught you.”  _ I should have saved you _ , he doesn’t say. 

“It...It didn’t hurt.” After a long pause, Jack’s voice, soft and almost unintelligible, pierces through the air, cutting through the sound of the acid. “When I fell.” 

Bruce feels his mouth go dry. “Can I see you?” He asks, before he could stop himself. The sudden urge of wanting to see this man- this  _ ghost _ \- Jack and replace the image of falling, of his  _ failure _ -

The same man he saw in the mirror, but he seems to shimmer, almost translucent skin, hair covered in shadows, the same blood red cape, but no hood over his head, masking the sharp chin and cheekbones. Almost unable to control himself, Bruce steps forward, holding his hand out.

Only for a second. Like a popped bubble, Jack disappears once again, leaving Bruce’s arm hanging in the air. 


End file.
